Excavation from High Speed ​​Train Construction Destroys Pastures

CHP Edirne Deputy Assoc. Dr. Okan Gaytancioglu Istanbul - Halkalı and Edirne - Kapıkule between the construction of the railway line due to the pouring of the lands from the excavation to the pastures in the region.

Providing a parliamentary question to Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Adil Karaismailoğlu and Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli, Assoc. Dr. Okan Gaytancıoğlu stated that the excavation soils were dumped on the pastures and that the fields in the region were damaged by the dust and the water resources were dried, and that even the holy spring where the animals drank water were filled.

Asking whether the excavation from the project will be poured before, Assoc. Dr. Gaytancıoğlu stated that the destruction of agricultural lands and pastures is unacceptable. Emphasizing that the financing of the project is financed by European Union funds, the work done does not comply with the European standard considering the damage to the environment and agricultural areas. Dr. Gaytancıoğlu also asked whether the damage suffered by the farmers would be compensated.

Assoc. Dr. Gaytancıoğlu said, “By destroying the memes, you increase the already high costs in livestock farming. We constantly import animals from all over the world. Not even 10 months have passed since the AKP Chairperson said that "they will not import unless required," and we imported hundreds of thousands of animals. Moreover, despite all these imports, we are one of the countries where meat is the most expensive. In a country that destroys pastures and agricultural lands, there is no question of food security. Transport and agriculture are not opposed to each other but complementary. "There can be no rational justification for the destruction of agricultural lands in this age."

Reminding that the protection of pastures is a constitutional and legal obligation, it is unacceptable to destroy them by pouring soil on them, CHP Edirne Deputy Assoc. Dr. Okan Gaytancıoğlu added that the protection of pastures is very important in the face of increasing costs in animal husbandry.

The parliamentary question submitted by MP Gaytancıoğlu to the Presidency of the Turkish Grand National Assembly for a response from Minister Pakdemirli is as follows:

"Istanbul (HalkalıDue to the construction of the Railway Line between Edirne (Kapıkule) and Edirne (Kapıkule), the soils from excavation are dumped on the pastures in the region, and the dust generated damages the fields in the region. In his statements reflected in the press, Adil Karaismailoğlu, Head of Transport and Infrastructure, said, “We are spreading the lands from the construction area of ​​this project to the pastures in the region by our Provincial Directorates of Agriculture. And we are helping to turn these pastures into arable land. In this sense, we provide our country with agricultural land ”.

• Before starting the project in question, was your Ministry allowed the excavation soils to fall into the pastures?
• Isn't the protection of rangelands a constitutional and legal obligation?
• Is it possible for pastures whose excavated soils have fallen to regain the quality of pasture? Do you have any work on this?
• As explained by the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, is it possible that the pastures where the excavation soils are dumped are agricultural areas?
• How will the losses of our farmers who live in the lost pasture lands be compensated?
• Can a healthy animal husbandry be done without pasture areas?
• What were our pasture lands in 2002, when the AKP came to power? How long is it now?
• Do you have any work to prevent areas that will lose their pasture qualification due to excavation shedding?
• Is there a guarantee by your Ministry that the pasture areas with excavation will not be used for agricultural purposes in any way?
• Do you intend to make a payment to compensate our farmers who were damaged by the project in question?

The motion that Gaytancıoğlu asked Minister Karaismailoğlu to answer is as follows:

"Istanbul (HalkalıDue to the construction of the Railway Line between Edirne (Kapıkule) and Edirne (Kapıkule), the lands from the excavation are dumped on the pastures in the region. Due to this process, the fields in the region are damaged, the water resources are drying and the holy spring where the animals drink water. The works carried out with the support of the European Union but not in accordance with the European Union standards cause great damage to our farmers in the region.

On the other hand, in his statements reflected in the press, Adil Karaismailoğlu, Transport and Infrastructure Chairman, said, 'We are spreading the lands from the construction area of ​​this project to the pastures in the region by our Provincial Directorates of Agriculture. And we help turn these pastures into arable land. In this sense, we are bringing agricultural land to our country. " He says that this is clearly against the pasture law and scientifically incorrect.

• What is the cost of the said railway project and from what sources is this cost financed?
• What is the end date of the project?
• Has an EIA report been prepared before starting the project?
• Has the damage to agriculture and pasture land been evaluated in the EIA reports?
• Do you intend to make a payment to the farmers in the region for damages to agricultural land?
• For the transportation of the excavated excavation, how much distance is calculated and paid to the company that loads the excavation work?
• Has the amount of excavation to be removed before starting the construction and where this excavation will be poured have been determined exactly?
• Does the Minister have the knowledge that pastures are to be protected according to our Constitution and laws, livestock is carried out here and cannot be turned into agricultural areas by pouring excavation soil but will be destroyed? "